WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Jan. 19, 2020) - Central Missouri Wrestling hosted its annual Roger Denker Open Sunday in the Multipurpose Building.
Conner Dalton led the Mules with a first-place finish at 141 pounds.
Dalton was crowned the 141 pound champion of the Roger Denker Open. The sophomore opened the day with a pin in 4:17 over Iowa State's Noah Nemer. In the semifinals, Dalton earned a 19-2 technical fall victory over Terrell Derricott of Arkansas Baptist. Dalton faced Michael Kumlien of Northeast Oklahoma in the championship match. Dalton won by an 8-2 decision and improved his record on the season to 13-13.
John Feeney earned a second-place finish in the 133 pound bracket. The Mules lone senior earned back-to-back fall victories in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. Feeney pinned Drury's Chris Hansen in 4:48, then Grand View's Conrad Braswell in 1:18. In the championship match, Feeney lost an 8-2 decision to Northeast Oklahoma's Mikey Mascarenas to earn the second-place finish.
Also earning a second-place finish was
Austin Morgan at 157 pounds. After receiving a first-round bye, Morgan defeated Tyson Smith of Northeast Oklahoma with a 16-1 technical fall in the quarterfinals. In the semifinal match, Morgan won a 7-2 decision over Vincent (Elijah) Cherry, also from Northeast Oklahoma. Morgan suffered a close 6-5 decision match to SIU Edwardsville's Coleman Brainard in the 157 pound championship match.
The Mules saw two place winners at 174 pounds in
Jack Goin and
Joe Brady. Goin lost his opening match then came back in the consolation bracket with back-to-back fall victories to earn the third-place finish. Goin recorded the Mules fastest fall of the day at 53 seconds.
At 165 pounds,
John Ridle placed fourth after going 3-2 in the open. Ridle began the day with a 10-2 major decision victory over Drury's Ethan Smith, then pinned Ottawa's Braydon Henry in 1:56. After losing by decision in the 165 pound semifinals, Ridle faced Drury's Smith of a second time, defeated in again by major decision, this time 9-1. Ridle lost to Missouri's Martell Boone by a 23-8 technical fall in the battle for third.
Domonique Hampton went 3-2 at the open to earn a fourth-place finish in the 184 pound bracket. After suffering a first-round fall, Hampton recorded a fall of in own in 3:46 over Saint Mary's Sidney Douglas. Hampton then picked up two decision victories over Joshua Molinar of Northeast Oklahoma and Robert Weber of Missouri to find himself in the consolation championship. In the fight for third, Hampton lost to Missouri's Cordel Duhart in a 10-2 major decision.
Zach Hazen also earned a fourth-place finish at 197 pounds. Hazen opened the tournament with a 15-0 technical fall over Central Methodist's Stephen Brady, then lost a 7-5 decision in the quarterfinals. Hazen won his next three matches with a fall in 2:34, another 15-0 technical fall and a hard-fought 9-7 decision. Hazen lost to Missouri's Sam East by an 8-5 decision in the third-place match.
Emmett Kuntz opened the tournament with back-to-back wins at 149 pounds. Kuntz earned a 16-0 technical fall over Kentucky Wesleyan's Clay Crichfield in the first round, then defeated Missouri's Samuel Ritchie 6-4 in the second round. After losing in the quarterfinals, Kuntz picked up a second technical fall victory in the consolation bracket, defeating Central Methodist's Matthew Flores 15-0. Kentz finished the day 3-2 as he improves his season record to 11-12. Also competing at 149 pounds,
Dakota Thevel went 2-2 in the open with two fall victories. Thevel pinned Tallen Heimbach of Central Methodist in 1:59, then earned a fall in 2:44 over Kentucky Wesleyan's Critchfield.
At 157 pounds,
Cole Hatfield pinned Central Methodist's Guadalupe Torres in 3:53 for his only win of the day. At 165 pounds,
Zion Vasquez picked up his first victory of the season in a 7-2 decision over Ottawa's Braydon Henrey.
Chase Miller finished 2-2 in the heavyweight bracket. Miller picked up two fall victories over Saint Mary's Charley Young in 1:31 and Central Methodist's Brendon Shelton in 2:31.
Mules Wrestling returns to action Saturday, Feb. 1, to compete in the Missouri Valley Open. The tournament is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. in Marshall, Mo.
